Tugu Gede Complex (Megalithic) :

Photo – Tugu Gede Complex (Southern Megalithic Complex).

Tugu Gede Complex is located in Cengkuk village, Margalaksana region, Cikakak district, Indonesia, at an altitude of about 468 – 500m above sea level. The Location of Menhir Tugu Gede is in the valley. This valley is surrounded by Mount Halimun.

There have not been any extensive studies or excavations done at this site hence until today the Indonesian archaeologist are not actually sure who made it, how old is it, or what was it purpose. There are some preliminary findings and collections of artifacts from the site but that’s just about it. We were only able to record local legends told by the village people living around the site.

Based on the artifacts found in this site, it is likely that this site is the epicenter of activity since the prehistoric times to the later period, either for religious purposes or other unknown purposes.

The Artifacts :

Preliminary results of small scale surveys and excavations conducted by researchers in Tugu Gede site has resulted in the finding of several artifacts from different cultures of different periods which could probably mean that this site holds some importance and has been used for generations.

Artifacts found at the Tugu Gede site includes Pottery, Ceramics, Metal Objects, Stone Tools, and Stone Monuments.

The Monuments :

The stone monument found in Tugu Gede Complex (Indonesia) is in the form of Stone Vases, Dolmens, Altar Stone, Stone Throne, Boulders, and Menhir. The Tugu Gede site (Indonesia) area can be divided into two complexes, the northern megalithic complex and the southern megalithic complex.

The northern megalithic complex is located on a higher ground compared to the southern megalithic complex. Artifacts found in the northern megalithic complex, among others are large menhirs or commonly referred to as Menhir Tugu Gede which has a hieght of 380cm, width of 110cm, and thickness of 70cm. We can see that Menhir Tugu Gede is a part of a group of three menhir called Temu Gelang.

The naming of this great menhir (Menhir Tugu Gede) is ultimately used as the name of the place. At a glance, menhir Tugu Gede when viewed from the east, looks like a human statue in a squatting position. Eyebrows in the form of scratches, eyelids are made concave.

There are two other menhirs in this northern megalithic complex. The first menhir is located in the northern part about 5.7m from Menhir Tugu Gede. This menhir has a height of about 130cm and width of about 75cm. The second menhir is located about 6m to the east of the first menhir and has is smaller in size of about 98cm in height and 58cm in width.

Stone stair steps connects the northern megalithic complex with the southern megalithic complex and on the sides of the steps there are medium sized menhirs.

The artifacts found in the southern megalithic complex is more varied when compared to the artifacts found in the northern megalithic complex. The southern complex is characterized by a terraced building measuring 5m x 5m.

The menhirs found in the southern megalithic complex are of various shapes and sizes, such as menhir with a flat stone, some menhirs are arranged like a circle with some flat stone sides, and some menhirs are arranged as if lined with flat rocks.

To the east of the terraced patio building area, there’s a bunch of large stone blocks arranged irregularly. Locals calls this area as Gudang Batu (Stone Warehouse). There’s also remains of two stone vessels (some researchers says that it’s stone pots, while locals calls it Jolang Stone) but to me it looks like a bathe tub for royals. The first stone vessel (stone vase or bathe tub) is located in a little pond of rocks. The second stone vessel or bathe tub is no longer intact, most of its sides are broken and only the bottom part remains.

In addition to these findings of stone vessels (stone vase or bathe tub) and stone-pedestal in the southern megalith complex, there’s also five stones erected in pairs with a flat stone on top that resembles a seat/stone throne.